Cache victim sector tag buffer

A cache system comprising:

• a sector cache memory to store a plurality of cache lines, each of said cache lines including multiple sub-sectors;
• a cache tag memory coupled to the cache memory;
• and
• a victim sector tag buffer coupled to the cache memory, said victim sector tag buffer to store entries to indicate whether a sub-sector of a cache line of said cache memory stores valid data.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a cache system coupled to said processor;
• and
• a memory bus coupled to said cache system;
• wherein the cache system comprises:
• a sector cache memory to store a plurality of cache lines, each of said cache lines including multiple sub-sectors;
• a cache tag memory coupled to the cache memory;
• and
• a victim sector tag buffer coupled to the cache memory, said victim sector tag buffer to store entries to indicate whether a sub-sector of a cache line of said cache memory stores valid data.

A method of storing data in a cache comprising:

• designating a first cache line stored in a cache memory, as a replaced line, the first cache line having a first replaced sub-sector and a second replaced sub-sector;
• retrieving a new sub-sector from a memory subsystem;
• storing the new sub-sector in place of the first replaced sub-sector;
• and
• storing an identity of the second replaced sub-sector in a victim sector tag buffer.